


The Devil's Music and the White House Staff

by Foxlass



Category: The West Wing
Genre: Abby Bartlett (mentioned), Alcohol, Alternate Universe - 1920s, Alternate Universe - Historical, Gen, I'll leave that up to the reader, Jazz - Freeform, Jed Bartlett (mentioned), Jed may or may not be quoting T Roosevelt, Speakeasies, Theodore Roosevelt reference
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-31
Updated: 2018-07-31
Packaged: 2019-06-19 13:55:06
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 461
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15511320
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Foxlass/pseuds/Foxlass
Summary: C.J. has had a rough day; President Bartlett just does not make her job easy, but good friends at the end of a long day makes everything worth it.written for a prompt, "Some person: that's the devils music, you're going to hell. CJ: honey, I'm the White House press secretary don’t lecture me about hell."





	The Devil's Music and the White House Staff

**Author's Note:**

> All characters you recognize belong to Aaron Sorkin and the people who own West Wing, I just like playing with them for my and other's amusement

It had been a long day, well longer than normal. Working at the White House was never a restful or peaceful venture, but today had been hectic even by West Wing standards. President Bartlett had been asked why he doesn’t even try to control First Lady Bartlett, and his response had not made her job any easier. Having the president blow off a question like that by answering   
“I can either run a country or control Abby. One of those I want to do, and I can only do one at a time. Therefore, I will continue to serve the people of this great country, and not attempt to rule my wife.”

Not that there was anything wrong about that statement… in theory. But it put up the back of everyone from the Christian right to the Democrats concerned with their president’s image. 

She waded down the wet street, dodging the umbrellas and splashing steps of everyone else. It had stopped raining only a few minutes ago, and was probably going to start again soon. She hoped she would be in the speakeasy by then. 

Standing just outside the slightly disguised entrance were two people, both waving signs with slogans like “Alcohol Corrupts” and “Save the Family”.

One of the women got up in her face as she tried to get past without engaging.   
“Its the devil’s music in there, young lady! You could go to Hell!” C.J. just blinked at her  
“Listen, I work at the white house, and had to defend the President’s image after he gave a good answer to a very bad question. A little music is not what is going send me to hell; I work at the White House, Hell would be a vacation. Now, excuse me, there is a bottle of whiskey in there with my name on it.”

She shoved past, and shouldered the door open. She sighed in relief when she saw Toby already at a booth. As she slid in across from him he nodded to her as he steadily drank from his glass til it was empty. 

“I heard about the president’s remark. I do not envy you your job. I wonder what is going to happen to that reporter, I’m certain the first lady will have something to say very soon” He smiled. It was not a nice smile, and C.J.’s shoulders dropped an inch. 

This is what she had needed, good company and alcohol at the end of a long day. Toby toasted her, and they spent the next few hours drinking companionably, unloading the day's events. The music drifted through the air, smoke from cigarettes made the ceiling hazy, the whole interior becoming like a fever dream of jazz and smokey lighting and whiskey.


End file.
